Vander Velde was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on January 23, 1913. Coming from a long line of Dutch painters, Henry began painting at an early age under the supervision of his mother, Hanny, who was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Rotterdam. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Vander Velde studied at the National Academy of Design. He later moved to southern California and was assistant professor of art at Long Beach College. He then established a studio-home in Avalon on Catalina Island where he taught private classes and was director of the local art association. Although he painted occasionally in the southern California desert, most of his canvases evince his great love of the sea. Vander Velde died in Butte County, California on February 20, 1997.